July 26, 2012

Airfoil's resident Tech Kings, Aaron Petras and Tony Onofrio, discuss the benefits of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. With expected sales of NFC-equipped handsets to reach 263.6 million units by 2015, connectivity will be taken to another level through the endless benefits of this user friendly interface.

So what do you say? Will you be connected? Share your thoughts in the comments section below or via twitter, just mention @airfoilpr.

July 11, 2012

Are you a gamer? Traditionally, we might think gamers are teens locked away in the basement playing games like Borderlands and Call of Duty for days on end. However, the traditional view of a gamer is changing as games like Farmville and Angry Birds are played every day by mass amounts of people. Even more, games are now being incorporated into classrooms and workplaces and “gamification” is growing as a method to impact everything from employee onboarding to internal sales processes.

Gamification by definition is the use of game theory to engage people in the performance of everyday tasks. Typically, gamification applies to non-game applications and processes to encourage people to adopt them or influence how they are used. Companies are now working to understand how these elements can be incorporated into traditional programs, especially as members of the millennial generation enter the workforce and push their organizations to find new ways to improve participation in activities that are thought to be routine or mundane. And gaming could be that solution.

The goal of gamification is to achieve higher levels of engagement, change behaviors and stimulate innovation. With the prevalence of Facebook, Twitter and Zynga, more and more companies are looking for ways to tap into the social networking and digital worlds to take game elements into areas that are unrelated to games, such as loyalty programs or sales training. In fact, according to Gartner, it is estimated that by 2015, more than 50 percent of organizations that manage innovation processes will apply gamification to those business processes.

The opportunity for businesses looking to use gamification is great, but is it a good investment?

Recently the Wall Street Journal spoke with gamification author Gabe Zichermann about whether gamification is a passing fad or a legitimate business investment. Zichermann explains that one of the biggest misconceptions, causing some to think this is a fad, is that “we’re trying to turn things into a game.” The goal is to use the best technologies being created through games to create engagement and change behaviors.

The idea for gamification is based on the fact that we are not a society free from structure, rewards, or penalty for bad behaviors, says Zichermann. Gamification is simply tapping into those natural instincts we have to keep score to motivate today’s workforce and can prove to be a strong tool for any company looking to improve even the most mundane tasks. Here is a sampling of a few games that companies are providing to their employees and customers:

July 03, 2012

To me, the term “Generation X” has always suggested mystery—most appropriate, I can confirm from having fathered two members of this crowd. “Gen Y” sounds like a question—also apropos, since these Millennials seem to question traditional workplace processes and revel in “What’s on your mind?” posts, tweets and text.

So where does that leave “Generation Z”—the term we might use for post-Y youngsters born over the past seven to 10 years? Will they be the sleepy generation? Probably not. But we might end up calling them the Zoomers, an homage to their Boomer grandparents.

Zoomers are being socialized in a very different world from that of their parents—who adopted new technology and created new online services every other month—and their parents’ parents—who reveled in their own invention in the form of the Internet, chat, online games and e-commerce. Here are six phenomena we might witness as the Z Generation fashions its own place in a maturing 21st Century:

While many Millennials never dialed a phone or heard a busy signal, Zoomers won’t use phones at all. Gestures will command their wearable devices to communicate standard messages and any actual voice communications will take the form of wireless gesture-initiated transmissions by tiny video-based devices.

When a Zoomer meets someone new, he will automatically call up and project that person’s profile on his shirt via smartphone-driven data and a necklace-mounted projector.

The Gen Y collector of comic books and anime will give way to Gen Z collectors of newsprint and lavish magazines. Print media will become a nostalgic artifact, with publications valued less for their historical significance than for their distinctive textures, weights and imagery.

No longer will new employees need to convince managers and IT staff to allow them to bring their own communications devices to work. Business systems will be fully virtualized and cloud-based, and the tools that individual employees use at home will be indistinguishable from those employed on the job.

A corollary to #4, “going to the office” in the future will become as ludicrous a phrase as “sitting down to breakfast with the family” is today. Companies will be distinguished by their teams, rather than their corporate architecture, and those teams will work in multiple environments, close to clients, customers or resources, employing collaborative technology. What offices remain will be reserved primarily for IT staffs as locations to interface with their cloud-based technology.

Driving will become an increasingly optional activity in which the Gen Z population will engage for entertainment, much as earlier generations may have enjoyed a spin at the go-kart track. Without the need to commute, with online shopping for everything but the basic bread and milk trips, and with self-driving vehicles available for vacations, family visits and supermarket shopping, Gen Z’ers will do just fine standing on their own two feet—with their own tuned technology.

The seeds for most of these activities already have been planted, while others are educated guesses. One thing that won’t change, however, is the competitive nature of the human population. So those who Z-z-z will be those who lose. Maybe they’d prefer to be called the Mid-Millennials.

--Steve Friedman is the director of marketing communications at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley. Follow Steve on Twitter @prwritingpro

June 13, 2012

From the first introduction of the smartphone in 1992 to those we use today, the look and capabilities of smartphones have undergone a complete makeover. Airfoil’s resident Tech Kings, Aaron Petras and Tony Onofrio, discuss the evolution of the smartphone in their inaugural Talking Trends with the Tech Kings video.

What was your first smartphone like? What functionalities would you like the smartphone of tomorrow to have? Share your thoughts in the comments section below or tweet us at @airfoilpr #techkings.

May 22, 2012

The story of technology frequently has been the development of things we never knew we wanted. No one really needed in iPad or a Nook tablet until technology told us we did. We were getting along just fine with films before digital movie projectors came along. For that matter, we all may have been a lot less tense when we had an office phone, a home phone, and nothing else tethering us in between.

Now, undeniably, technology has worked in ways to make our lives so much easier, businesses so much more profitable, and news and entertainment so much more accessible. But technology companies constantly seem to be putting the exclamation point before the verb—stirring immense excitement over the pending release of some device, service or software before consumers have stated a need, desire, awareness or acknowledgement that such an offering would be a welcome change. We didn’t need it—until we did. This phenomenon may be recapped as, “Invention is the mother of necessity.”

I guess that’s how markets are made, but I think it’s time that business professionals and consumers alike started enumerating the technology they actually do want and need in their lives and then demand that innovators create it. It’s time to Occupy the Cloud! It’s past time for us to engage in forward thinking instead of window shopping for the latest tech.

I have six “Items that I Really Need” on my checklist and herewith issue my challenge across the Valley to bring these capabilities to my home and office:

The self-cleaning house. We have self-cleaning ovens; can’t we extend that technology to the entire house—without burning it down or becoming uncomfortably toasty? Think of the productive time that husbands, wives and dorm-room tenants would save and the environmental enhancements such a device would bring.

Biofeedback-adjusted eyeballs. I’m constantly hunting for my glasses and succeed on my quest about 75% of the time. Can’t technology put some kind of capsule in my wristwatch (Yes, I wear a wristwatch—deal with it) that allows me to use biofeedback techniques to lengthen or compress the lenses in my eyes or reshape my eyeballs to focus on the task at hand? I’d save all that searching time and do a better job of reading, driving and finding my mouth with my fork.

Self-editing editorial copy. Of course, we have spell-and-grammar check, but everyone knows that this still rudimentary technology often misses errors, suggests corrections where none are needed, and may produce an unjustifiable sense of confidence in the author. The self-editing document would likely antiquate half the work I do every day—but it would give me time to pursue the other, more creative half.

The social-media engagement button. Public relations practitioners constantly are urging clients, not just to participate in, amplify and measure their participation in social media networks, but also to “engage” with the denizens of those sites. As Far Field Productions asks at the end of the credits for Bones, “What’s that mean?” Set up a group? Answer tweeters’ questions? Compliment them on their fonts? Hey, technology, you gave us social media; now figure out this engagement thing and . . . just . . . build it in, so we can click “Like,” “Share,” or “Engage.” How much time we would save right there!

The self-mowing lawn. The benefits of the self-mowing lawn are self-evident. Certainly technology could invent a grass that grows two inches high and then continuously sheds its top, dropping its own nutritious clippings on which it will feed and shed for future generations. Such techno-grass would enable us to enjoy our Saturdays; reduce smog; and cut the demand for gasoline, oil and bandages simultaneously.

The meeting-bot. Some of us spend half or more of our day in meetings—listening, collecting information, commenting, offering recommendations, giving instruction. Computers, clouds and websites already can do all those things. Life would be so much more productive if our personal meeting robot could roll into the conference room with all the other bots from the office, exchange information and make decisions in milliseconds, and roll back to us with a PowerPoint presentation detailing our next required actions. We could actually get some work done this way—and maybe the bot could be programmed to say “Atta boy” and pat us on the back.

What do you want technology to tackle to make your life better? We’ll probably never see the self-balancing budget or the 30-second standing rib roast, but please comment (er. . . engage) on the devices you’d really like to hang on your belt.

--Steve Friedman is the director of marketing communications at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley. Follow Steve on Twitter @prwritingpro

February 27, 2012

We are all guilty of checking our phones when we shouldn’t. Whether you’re at an event or you’re out with friends for happy hour, there is a constant need to check our phones for texts, emails, Facebook/Twitter notifications, etc. A study from 2011 in the Journal of Personal and Ubiquitous

Computing shows people check their phones an average of 34 times a day, not because they actually need to check them, but more out of habit.

Why the constant need to look at our phones? Maybe we are avoiding interacting with people or feeling awkward in a particular situation (think a networking event where everyone seems to know each other but you). There are certain instances, of course, where we’re waiting for an important call or text, but for the most part, that text from your friend or your turn in “Words with Friends” can wait. Ignoring people for your phone sends the clear message that you are interested in what’s on your phone rather than interacting with them.

Recently, Airfoil Public Relations held our annual agency meeting where we were fortunate to have PR industry guru Darryl Salerno deliver a keynote. During his speech, Darryl shared his impressive background and knowledge from working in PR for decades, but what stuck out to me was his advice to “be present and be pleasant.” He acknowledged that while checking your phone is common and sometimes unconscious behavior, it’s important (and pleasant) to pay attention to those around you.

Darryl noted that the people you meet and network with in life may not directly or immediately help you or your company, but if they know and respect you, they will recommend you to others and your web of contacts will continue to grow. This applies beyond meeting new people; it can impact your relationships with clients and colleagues. When you are present and clearly involved, your attention is more focused and without the distraction of your phone, you can get higher quality and more strategic work accomplished.

This may seem like a no brainer, but we’ve all done it. Your Twitter and Facebook feeds aren’t going anywhere, so next time you’re in a social situation, try to resist checking your phone. You’ll come across as more inviting and approachable, and you’ll be giving people you’re talking to the respect and attention they deserve. You never know the networking opportunity or new friend that could be right in front of you.

-- Laura Cumbow is an account executive at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.

February 03, 2012

I feel like I need to step up to the podium, tap the microphone and non-shamelessly admit that I am a pin-a-holic. Yes folks, I am addicted to Pinterest.

What’s that you say? You haven’t heard of the latest social media sensation that Mashable recently reported on as “driving more traffic than Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn combined?” Well, it’s quite simple. According to the website, “Pintrest a virtual bulletin board that lets you organize and share all the things you love.” The simplicity of it all (and a co-worker) got me hooked and I can’t stop.

So take my boards for example – I have 28 boards containing nearly 800 photos dedicated to a number of things that speak to my personality from puppies, inspirational quotes, vintage dresses and my favorite car, the Ford Mustang. It gives me the opportunity to share what I love and borrow from what other people enjoy as well.

Both brides and moms-to-be have created countless boards with photos of their favorite wedding bouquet, hairstyle, nursery idea and photo setting. New homeowners are pinning photos of their dream kitchen, frugal moms are posting their DIY crafts that tame the feistiest of 5 year olds, teachers are sharing in classroom ideas, and artists are pinning what inspires them.

While Pinterest has captured the attention of the 25-34 female demographic, guys are finding the site “pin”teresting, too.

But what does this mean for companies looking to capture an already hyped-up and hooked audience? Specifically, three things come to mind:

Getting free and honest feedback. Companies can encourage users to post photos of their favorite products and how they use them. By seeing how customers use their products, they can quickly update or enhance products based on feedback.

People are pinning, and pinning again. Since it’s very easy to re-pin someone else’s post, companies can post products and let the passionate pinners ultimately carry the voice of the company.

Journalists are pinning, too. As the written word becomes more visual, journalists are turning to Pinterest to capture what they want to communicate, but in a visual way. Companies can leverage this as an opportunity to communicate their brand, visually.

Intrigued? If so, request an invite from Pinterest. I promise, you’ll be hooked.

-- Katy Teer is a senior account executiveat Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agencywith offices in Silicon Valley and Detroit.

January 17, 2012

Any journalist will tell you that the most crucial factor in writing a successful article is the interview. Whether you’re a reporter asking questions of one source or a public relations executive interviewing a suite full of leaders, the way you prepare for and conduct fact-finding interviews will determine your success. Just as fancy editing really can’t disguise bad videography, fancy words and phrases won’t be able to cover up a poor job of reporting, where important facts have been overlooked during the interview and key avenues have been left unexplored.

Keep the following 20 recommendations in mind to prepare yourself properly for the interview, and the actual writing will become an easy final step in the journalistic process:

Research the topic to understand underlying issues and terminology.

Always develop questions in advance. Don’t go into an interview to hold a conversation or you’ll end up with small talk. Take the time to develop the questions that will lead to the information you seek.

Ask open-ended questions, not those that can be answered only by a yes or no. Use a who, what, where, when, why and how framework to cover the topic.

Of these questions, how and why usually are the most important, because they get to causes, motivations and solutions. Look at every aspect of each of these elements to develop questions like:

Why is the company doing this?

Why does the market need this product?

Why now?

Why should people care about this?

How are you going to do this?

How does your product differ from those of competitors?

How are you going to structure your company to achieve this?

How can people use your product?

How will your product change the way people work, live or play?

Don’t be afraid to offer your own theory or the theories of others in developing questions for your interview subject to comment on.

Relate questions to other things happening in the industry or in the world to obtain answers that have meaningful context and that become inherently newsworthy.

Be pro-active. Don’t simply ask the questions on your sheet and record the answers. Start with the questions, but ask follow-up questions if the response is unclear, incomplete or open to other interpretations.

Guide the source to appropriate areas, but be open to his or her view of what’s important.

Don’t just ask the source to “talk about” the subject, unless you don’t have enough information to formulate questions. You may use this as a preliminary information-gathering technique, but you should have questions in mind to pursue subsequently.

Focus the questioning to get to what you need.

Don’t be afraid to ask “stupid questions,” but preface the interview by saying, “I know some of the information I’ll be requesting from you, but I want to get it in your voice. So forgive any ‘stupid questions’—I just want to get it right and in your terms.”

The biggest content problem with writing is failing to obtain or understand the basic information from the interviewee’s perspective. If you don’t understand what something means, ask for an explanation or clarification.

If your source says something that you don’t understand or that raises questions, state your interpretation of what he means and ask for verification.

Be a good listener. Don’t get so involved in your note-taking that you overlook clues and implications from the interviewee’s responses. Likewise, offer your own interpretation, point of view or analogy to see if it correlates with the source’s thinking.

Use questions to explore new trends, facts or opinions for which your interviewee may be the source.

Ask open-ended questions that give the interviewee a chance to interpret, explain or express an opinion on something.

Always follow up to elicit additional information that may be relevant but not immediately apparent. For example, offer refutations to or questions about the interviewee’s interpretation or opinion. Then obtain his or her responses. Don’t engage in a debate, however; instead, present refutations or doubts that have been expressed by a third party: “Some industry executives are saying…,” “Folks on the other side of the issue might claim…,” “We’re reading that…..”

Find out everything you can about your source’s credentials for the claims he or she makes—education, projects, offices, inventions, awards, personal experiences.

Finally, do a reality check of your notes after the interview and before you leave. Do you have newsworthy information? What additional questions do you need to ask to get the news you feel is in this story? What questions do you need to revisit to get more explanation? Looking at your notes as a whole, does a new trend or development emerge that you should explore? Who else should you interview to fill gaps or obtain important information?

With a determination to ask the right questions in the right way, your reporting assignment will prepare you well for the writing the article.

-- Steve Friedman is the director of marketing communications at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.

January 05, 2012

One of the many great things about living here in the Motor City is having the premier auto show, the North American International Auto Show, right here in your backyard. With 53 new vehicle debuts taking place at the 2012 NAIAS there are quite a few I am looking forward to seeing. With the Consumer Electronic Show being held the same week, it will be interesting to see the technologies featured on the vehicles and those that are being featured at CES.

Vehicle Launches

Cadillac ATS: Like many others, I can’t wait to see the new Cadillac. The legendary sleek luxury designs that Cadillac is known for are sure to shine through on this new vehicle. While I know I should certainly be appreciating the new 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine with an estimated 270 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque that will be featured on the vehicle, I really just want to see the beauty of the interior.

Buick Encore: I love the Buick Enclave, but with a 50 mile/day commute, it just isn’t realistic. I am looking forward to seeing a smaller crossover vehicle from Buick. Buick has really stepped up its game over the past few years, implementing more style and technology into the brand. The Encore is scheduled to debut on January 10. In the meantime, it is slowly being unveiled on Facebook.

Grand Cherokee EV: This all-electric Jeep Grand Cherokee will feature all the award-winning features of the gas version of the vehicle but will include two rear-mounted Remy AC motors and have a range of 80-100 miles on a single charge. The benefits of an SUV with zero emissions and no gas. Tell me where to get on the waiting list for one of these!

Technology

If 2012 NAIAS is anything like last year’s, we will see a lot of new in-vehicle technology at the upcoming show. I am anxiously waiting to see what new technologies will help me use the five-plus hours a week I spend commuting to and from work more productively while still being safe on the road. DENSO International for example has announced it will be showing how cars will “connect” and “talk” to other cars and roadside structures like traffic signals. We can also expect to see aftermarket and OEM technologies from Parrot (Airfoil client) and others innovating new possibilities for in-vehicle connectivity and Internet accessibility.

-- Deana Goodrich is a senior account executive at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.

December 27, 2011

Gawker recently posted an article that it deemed as “insights into the dumbest social networking users in 2011.” I think what they found is nothing short of fascinating. First things first, here’s the breakdown of the top, fastest-rising searches by channel in order of popularity:

After snickering at a few of these, I took a closer look at the sources and how users turn to each platform in very specific ways. From the list, one can conclude that Facebook is used least for breaking news and more for casual sharing, Google is best for tracking trends and information gathering, while Twitter is all about showing that you know your stuff, first.

While none of this is surprising on the surface, this information has important business implications surrounding the way consumers interact online. For example, if I’m looking to drive a campaign about a new product, I should speak to its coolness factor on Facebook, marketing descriptor on Google+ and unique uses on Twitter.

Thanks to predictable, “dumb” consumer habits, businesses have a chance to get a leg up on the competition if they just listen in the right way. Smart businesses know their audiences and will project personalized messages on the right platform.

What about your business? Are you communicating in the most effective ways with your customers?

-- Heather Arft is an account executive at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.